Google’s Data GIF Maker will make your facts and figures more palatable

Why it matters to you

Data is crucial to supporting a point or winning an argument, but understanding it can be hard. Google’s Data GIF Maker is here to help.

It may be useful, but if you can’t get anyone to look at it (or understand it), data doesn’t do anything for anyone. After all, how many numbers can you really look at before your eyes glaze over and you begin forgetting what you were looking for in the first place? Luckily, there may be a solution. Meet the Data GIF Maker, a new tool from Google that wants to help data scientists, journalists, and others who depend upon data to support their ideas better communicate their evidence to their audience.

Indeed, the Data GIF Maker was designed specifically with storytellers in mind, as Google notes, “Data visualizations are an essential storytelling tool in journalism.” And while much of this data, especially when it’s meaningful, tends to be highly involved, Google says that it doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated — at least, not to the layman.

And that’s where data GIFs come in.

Meant to help the mobile generation more easily visualize information formatted specifically for their smart devices, these data animations are meant to be used for a “variety of sophisticated storytelling approaches among data journalists,” Google says. And with this new tool, journalists will be able to show share of interest for two opposing topics.

So how does it work? First, GIF makers will need to enter two data points. “We typically use the tool to represent competing search interest, but it can show whatever you want it to — polling numbers, sales figures, movie ratings, etc,” Google explains. “If you want to show search interest, you can compare two terms in the Google Trends explore tool, which will give you an average number (of search interest over time) for each term. Then input those two numbers in Data GIF Maker.”

Then, you’ll add your text, choose your colors, select your explanatory text, and then click “Launch Comparisons,” and finally, “Download as GIF.” That’s all it takes to create an animated version of all that critical information you want to share.

So if you’re looking for a way to make your information more easily digestible, you may took a look at Data GIF Maker from Google.

Slow and steady wins the race: these robotic turtles will comb the desert for landmines

Why it matters to you

These robot turtles could safely tag landmines without risking human lives.

Detecting landmines is no easy task, but thankfully, a team of researchers at the Arizona State University is developing a fleet of robotic turtles to locate (and detonate) them in the desert.

Every year, an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people are killed or maimed by landmines, according to UNICEF. Militaries around the globe currently use an array of both low- and high-tech approaches to remove them — ranging from rudimentary metal detectors and trained bomb-sniffing dogs, to sophisticated (and wildly expensive) minesweeping droids.

But these newly-developed robo-reptiles have many distinct advantages over current land mine removal methods. The robotic turtles are rather small — about “half the size of a drone” according to a report by New Scientist. Each unit is laser-cut from sheets of cardboard and then folded, origami-style, into a shape designed to accommodate a computer chip, motor, and fins. From start to finish, the entire process takes about three hours.

Unlike bomb-sniffing dogs, these robotic turtles have the ability to work independently in the field. Seeing as the current prototypes are intended for use all over the globe, researchers are programming them with algorithms that allow them to react and adjust to different environment. While a specific type of motion may be preferential in one desert, another region with varying sand grains and/or wet terrain might require a different approach.

The meticulous work of pinpointing landmines in the field in painstaking work with zero margin for error and dire consequences if things go awry. That said, these robot turtles cost roughly $80 each, so losing one unit in the field isn’t going to break the bank.

Joint leader of the ASU team behind the project, Heni Ben Amor, envisions a future in which a fleet of nearly 100 robotic turtles could comb the desert for mines and then tag each device for extraction. Amor will present his research at a pair of robotic conferences in July.

MIT’s shape-shifting noodles could soon hit a restaurant near you

Why it matters to you

Flat-packed, shape-shifting food could help save on space and shipping costs.

Engineers in MIT’s Tangible Media Group have created noodles that change shape when dunked in water. It might seem like a silly creation of idle minds but the researchers think their product could have real-world value, from decreasing shipping costs to thrilling diners.

Science fiction often inspires science and the case of the shape-shifting noodles is a prime example. “I got inspired by a movie,” Wen Wang, one of the researchers who developed the noodles, told Digital Trends. Wang had just watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens and had a sort of epiphany watching the scene where Rey turns powder and water into bread. “I wondered if it is possible to make a shape changing food through manipulating a foods water adsorption ability,” he said.

Wang teamed up with a colleague, Lining Yao, to develop flat sheets of starch and gelatin, giving them a special structure that allows them to take shape only when dunked in water.

Once dunked, the shape-shifting noodles may take many forms — from standard pasta shapes to flowers and horse saddles. Wang and Yao challenged a professional kitchen in Boston to cook and serve up their creations. The collaboration lead to some delicious dishes, like caviar wrapped in plankton and squid ink-flavored noodles.

The shape-shifting noodles may be fun to cook, but their more practical application could be in saving space and shipping costs.

“We found that lots of processed food, such as pasta, contains air in the package,” Wang said. “The 2D food reported in this project can be packed flat, so shipping costs will be saved. The transformation process from 2D to 3D will also provide the diners with great cooking and eating experience.”

Wang and his team presented a paper detailing the work was published this week at the Association for Computing Machinery’s 2017 Computer-Human Interaction Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Sony ditches affordable flagship phones for high-end and midrange alternatives

Why it matters to you

Don’t expect Sony to release a high-end, affordable phone in the coming months — the company’s refocusing its efforts.

Sony’s Xperia X and Xperia X compact Premium may have turned heads when they were announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last year, but that hype never translated to sales. On Wednesday, the Tokyo, Japan-based electronics company announced that it would do away with its “Premium Standard” series of smartphones — including Xperia X and X compact — as a result of “weaker than expected” sales performance.

Sony’s “Premium Standard” brand aimed to deliver high-end hardware at an affordable price point, but the company struggled to ship phones at a sustainable clip. During its 2017 Investor Day this week, Sony said that it would aim to sell 85 percent of its high-end smartphone inventory outside its home country of Japan, but only managed a measly 31 percent — equating to dismal global performance of 43 percent of total sales.

That comes on the heels of news that Sony sold 15 million smartphones in 2016 — the lowest number of handsets it has sold in a full year since 2012.

Sony is planning a two-pronged approach to regain market share: differentiating its products “with technologies that only Sony can deliver” and focusing on developing markets where it’s confident it can regain profitability. It will target Japan, East Asia, APAC, the Middle East, and Europe, and hone in on flagships like the Xperia XZ Premium and XZs and midrange phones like the Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium (left) Sony Xperia XZs (right)

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Even given these moves, Sony is not done taking risks. It’s hoping to make a splash in the North American market in the coming months, and it mentioned India, which the company is cautiously optimistic about due to the “predominance of lower-value smartphones” and “razor-thin margins.”

Sony’s not the only firm that is rethinking its smartphone strategy. Earlier this year, HTC, which recorded an operating loss of $117 million last quarter and described the market as “ultra-competitive,” said it would focus its future efforts on pricier flagships like the U Ultra and U Play.

Doubling down on flagships is a well-founded approach, generally speaking. According to analysts at the International Data Corporation (IDC), high-end phones accounted for around 57.2 percent of the company’s smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2016.

But the competition won’t sit around waiting. Late last year, estimates showed that Apple took 103.6 percent of the profits from all smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2016. By comparison, Samsung, one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers, took just 0.09 percent.

Still, things are turning around for Sony. Sony Mobile, the division responsible for smartphone research, design, and sales, posted an operating profit of $187 million on sales of $2.2 billion.

Red, white and blue sale: Save 25% on Android accessories!

In honor of the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country, we’re offering 25% off all Android accessories at ShopAndroid.

Starting today until Wednesday, May 31, you can pick up a new case, quick charger, screen protector or wireless charger for your Android device and enjoy a 20% savings by using coupon code: MD17 at checkout. There’s an extensive selection of Android accessories to choose from, along with a convenient 60-day return policy and free shipping on all orders over $50 in the US and Canada.

Save big on accessories for the latest devices including the Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6, Google Pixel and OnePlus 3. Haven’t upgraded just yet? No problem — we’re fully stocked on accessories for favorites like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S7, Droid Turbo 2 and many more!

Take your time, browse, and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

• Let’s go shopping

More amazing Android accessories

How to customize Hello Bixby on the Galaxy S8

Make the most of Hello Bixby with a little customization.

Bixby is Samsung’s take on the virtual assistant, offering a similar experience to Google Now on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. You can access Bixby either by swiping right on the home screen or by pressing the Bixby button (on the left of the S8, below the volume buttons) at any time.

But Bixby is only going to be useful if you make it your own. Here’s how to customize your Bixby experience.

How to customize your Hello Bixby cards

Feeling overwhelmed by all the content displayed when you check Bixby? It’s set to display content from all supported apps by default to showcase everything it can do. Fortunately, it’s quick and easy to customize your Bixby experience

Press the Bixby button or swipe right to access Hello Bixby.
Tap the settings icon in the top right corner.

Tap Hello Bixby cards.

Tap the switch next to all Apps

Tap the switch next to the apps you want to see on Bixby.

Bixby only currently supports a limited number of apps, and as you might expect, they’re mostly Samsung’s stock apps. If you use Google apps such as Gmail or Google Photos, you’re out of luck for the time being.

How to re-organize Hello Bixby cards

Want the weather card or any other card to be at the top of your Hello Bixby menu? You can customize the order of your cards to fit your needs.

Press the Bixby button or swipe right on the home screen to launch Hello Bixby.
Tap the menu button on the card you want at the top. It looks like three dots in a vertical line.

Tap Pin to top.

It’s just that easy. You can pin multiple apps to the top, but just know that the last card you pin will go straight to the top, so order your cards accordingly.

How will you customize Bixby?

Personally, I decided to turn off almost everything, even mostly useful features like Flipboard briefing. While I generally liked the content it was providing, I always find that Bixby cuts off the full headline and that’s really annoying.

What do you think of Hello Bixby so far? Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments!

HTC U11 review: Back in the running

HTC needs something to get it back in the conversation with today’s flagships.

The launch of HTC’s new “U” series of phones came with a flagship-sized hole in the middle of the lineup. The U Ultra was too big and too expensive, while the U Play was underpowered and short on value for the money.

With the launch of the U11, HTC is not only filling that flagship spot in the 2017 U series but also trying to create a proper successor to the HTC 10 to be the leading device of the year. Just a couple months after the U Ultra launched, the U11 arrives with a faster processor, improved battery life, a more compact body, better camera and perhaps most importantly a proper price.

With the big improvements, not only does the U11 make you wonder why the U Ultra exists — but it also makes you start considering it right alongside the flagship competition of 2017. That’s something that happened only briefly with last year’s HTC 10, and we’re going to see if the HTC U11 has what it takes in our full review.

See at Amazon

About this review

I, Andrew Martonik, have been reviewing a Taiwanese SKU of the HTC U11, running on T-Mobile in both Mountain View, CA and Seattle, WA for 9 days. Due to radio band limitations, I did not have complete network coverage that would normally be provided by a proper U.S. phone. The software is version 1.03.709.4 with the April 1, 2017 security patch, and was not updated during the review period. The phone was provided to Android Central for review by HTC.

A recap

HTC U11 Video review

For a concise recap of everything you need to know about the U11, be sure to watch our video review above. When you’re done, you can see my complete thoughts on the phone in the written review below!

Historic beauty

HTC U11 Hardware

Time after time, HTC shows how to execute its hardware designs perfectly. The “liquid surface” glass on the back stands out like no other glass-backed phone, coming down to the way it curves off of the edges and how the color is embedded in the glass rather than coated on the inside. No matter which of the five colors you pick up (the “amazing silver” is shown here), the colors shift and change as you move it around — it’s a striking and unique design that stands out.

More: HTC U11 specs

The entire phone is beautifully crafted and assembled, with a satisfying heft you get from few phones — but expect from one with “HTC” on the back. That continues into the perfect curve of the glass on both sides of the phone, the way the buttons click and how solidly the haptics vibrate. These are things that are so often overlooked in order to achieve mind-bending designs, but HTC sticks with as important parts of the experience. HTC has also arrived fashionably late to the party with IP67 water resistance, which is a welcomed addition nonetheless.

From the front, the U11 feels like a phone from last year … or even 2015.

For as beautiful as the U11 is, you don’t look at the back of your phone all that often — you interact with the front every single day. Up front, the U11 feels like a phone of yesteryear. The display is surrounded by above-average bezels, punctuated by capacitive navigation keys on the bottom (whyyyyyyyy). Front-on the U11 looks the same as any generic phone released last year — if not in 2015. There are real usability concerns around a phone that’s wider and taller than it “needs” to be, but importantly to snagging sales it also gives a weaker first impression than the Galaxy S8 or LG G6.

The 5.5-inch display itself is definitely up to modern standards, though. The latest Super LCD 5 panel at QHD resolution is at the top of what you can get from an LCD today, even though it comes up a bit short of Samsung’s AMOLED panel (which I regard as the top of the industry). Everything is amazingly crisp and colors are great, and surprisingly for an LCD it’s even manageable in bright direct sunlight. The screen doesn’t quite get as dim as I’d like at night, but that’s a small complaint about an otherwise great screen.

How the HTC U11 was made

There’s an amazing amount of work that goes into making a phone like the U11. From the research and design up to final assembly, we were able to see inside the buildings where the U11 was built — be sure to read our first-hand account of the process.

Made in Taiwan: How HTC designs, manufactures and tests its new U11 flagship

You shouldn’t look at an HTC phone today expecting it to have a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack. What you will get in return is an audio experience that’s a step above the competition. That starts with the in-box USonic headphones, which sound better than your typical bundled earbuds and now include active noise cancellation powered by the phone. It’s a nice treat to actually get good, feature-filled headphones in the box (along with a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter), but it’s still baffling to me that they aren’t actually standard USB-C headphones that work on any other phone, tablet or computer I’ve plugged them into. These are headphones for the U11 only (well, or the U Ultra / U Play) … and for some people that’s just an added frustration on top of not having the 3.5 mm jack.

HTC’s new BoomSound speaker setup is also here, which combines both the front-firing earpiece speaker and down-firing loudspeaker for a better sound stage. Despite the complaints from longtime HTC fans that prefer the full-on dual speaker approach, the U11 sounds better than your typical phone — not only does it get louder than anything else on my desk, it sounds better through the full range. I don’t see this as a big drop-off from the “proper” stereo speakers of older HTC phones.

Maintenance mode

HTC U11 Software and experience

HTC Sense feels like it’s in maintenance mode at this point. For better or worse, the interface on the U11 isn’t far removed from what you see on a One M9. At its core that’s not really a bad thing, because HTC has long had a relatively clean interface that has removed a whole lot of cruft, duplicate apps and bloatware.

Much of what remains is a lightly tweaked version of Android 7.1.1, with some default apps replaced by HTC’s consistently (albeit a bit tired looking) designed offerings. This is very much a “light touch” approach to shipping Android, with large swaths of the interface unchanged from what you’d see on a Pixel today.

Some people, particularly those coming from a Samsung or LG phone, will say “where’s the rest of it?” — because HTC chooses not to pile a ton of features on its phones. You’ll simply find some subtle, helpful tweaks — like its audio tuning, the new “edge sense” squeeze feature and its camera app.

For me, the lack of extra features is actually a good thing. Loving the software experience on my Pixel XL, I want software as close to that as possible — and the U11 isn’t far off. I don’t have to go through the interface and turn off all of the things I don’t want or wade through features I’ll never touch. I installed a different keyboard on the U11, and that was it — I could just use it as is and be happy. Every basic feature I want is here, and it’s executed properly; anything more I want I can get from Google Play.

Edge sense: Just squeeze your phone

The one big feature (or gimmick, perhaps) of the U11 is its “edge sense” technology, which has been at the core of HTC’s marketing for the phone — that’s why you’re seeing the word “squeeze” so damn often. Yes, when you squeeze the U11 things happen, and HTC’s positioning it as a new way to interact with your phone that’s better than just an extra hardware button or two.

The feature works simply enough: just tell the phone what you want to happen when you squeeze it, and then what happens when you squeeze it a bit longer (not to be confused with squeezing harder). You can configure and test until you hit a squeeze level that works for your hands, and adjust it at any time.

Squeezing your phone is not unlike Moto’s gestures or BlackBerry’s convenience key.

I left the short squeeze on its default setting of launching the camera, and changed the long squeeze to a screenshot. You can make either one launch Google Assistant, take a screenshot, toggle the flashlight, turn on the voice recorder, launch the Sense Companion or toggle the Wi-Fi hotspot — if you don’t like any of those options, you can have it just launch an app of your choice.

Being able to squeeze your phone to launch an app or toggle a system function isn’t much different than Motorola’s set of hand gestures or BlackBerry’s convenience key. It’s a neat thing that works well but isn’t going to completely change the way you use a phone — and if you don’t like it, you can even turn it off entirely.

Performance

HTC continues to offer the smoothest, most consistent software performance outside of a Pixel or Nexus. Through what is surely a combination of obsessive software engineers and plenty of licensed technology, the U11’s interface performance is immaculate. It’s a sort of subconscious fluidity that’s tough to describe. Touch response is perfect, scrolling feels just right and apps are blisteringly fast. No stutters, no hiccups, no issues at any point — no matter how smooth my other phones are sometimes, they’re never this consistently perfect.

This is Pixel-like performance and fluidity.

So long as a phone performs like that I’m not particularly bothered by what’s inside, but HTC knows people care about specs and delivered accordingly. The latest Snapdragon 835 is inside running the show, supported by 4GB of RAM and an ample 64GB of storage plus an SD card slot. Those specs are right in line with the competition, and should serve the U11 well for a good 18 months — let’s hope HTC keeps its software updates rolling accordingly.

Battery life

A 3000mAh battery wasn’t exactly acceptable on the massive U Ultra, but is a more appropriate cell size in the 5.5-inch U11. When paired with the power savings of the Snapdragon 835 processor, battery life on the U11 is solid. The phone could easily handle my typical day that involves lots of Wi-Fi time, keeping up with email and social networks and roughly 3 hours of screen-on time — all with about 20% battery to spare.

I only once had to dip into the “power saver” mode before bedtime, and it was on a travel day where the phone eventually lasted just over 12 hours after over 5 hours of screen-on time and just as many hours playing podcasts over Bluetooth. That’s really good, and it’s tough to expect much more from a flagship today — I’ve had plenty of phones die well before that point when I travel.

Speaking somewhat selfishly as someone who was really getting used to wirelessly charging their Galaxy S8 every night, I do wish that the glass-backed U11 integrated at least Qi charging. I know it’s a rather niche feature, but for a high-end phone with a glass back you sort of expect the feature. Luckily Quick Charge 3.0 is here for when you plug in over USB-C, and that 3000mAh battery charges fast.

A nice rebound

HTC U11 Camera

As a side effect of the HTC 10’s overall lack of traction in the market, we generally forgot that it had a pretty good camera. Thankfully the U11 not only one-ups the U Ultra’s camera, but steps beyond the HTC 10 at the same time. A new “UltraPixel 3” camera offers 12MP of resolution, 1.4-micron pixels, an f/1.7 lens and switches from laser to phase detection “UltraSpeed” auto focus.

HTC is very proud of this camera, and is happy to tell you it has the “highest ever” DxOMark Mobile score of 90, but more important than any number is how it actually holds up in real use. When I spoke with HTC’s camera engineers ahead of the launch, they said they like to aim for “true to life” photo reproduction, then kick up the punch just a little bit — and I found that to hold true.

The U11 takes really good photos, and they indeed lean toward real-life reproduction with just a little extra pop and contrast to make them pleasing to the eye. Leaving the phone in HDR Auto, as I typically do, I didn’t run into the same sort of low dynamic range issues that I typically have on HTC’s phones. It was good enough that I didn’t even turn on the tap-to-expose option in the settings, though in a few situations I felt HDR didn’t do enough to brighten up dark portions of scenes — but of course that would’ve been unnatural looking, which isn’t what HTC wants its cameras to do.

HTC is back in the discussion with the top smartphone cameras out there.

In daylight, photos were just about pristine and right on par with the Galaxy S8, Pixel XL and LG G6. Colors were just right, edges were sharp and there was plenty of contrast available. When the lights got dimmer, things weren’t as perfect, but no phone is in these situations. The dynamic range was again good enough to handle most scenes with mixed lighting, and I think HTC makes good decisions in leaving some grain in dark areas and not over-sharpening lines to the point of making them soft. In low light, where shutter speeds were sometimes a little on the dangerously low side, optical image stabilization (OIS) compensated just fine.

This camera is miles ahead of the U Ultra’s, thankfully, and I have no issue setting it right alongside the top-tier competition in 2017. Having so many flagships just in the first half of the year offer great cameras is wonderful.

On the right track

HTC U11 Bottom line

When I reviewed the U Ultra, I could see the potential in the design and hardware execution — that phone was just unfortunately saddled with multiple issues including its size, a couple bad internal spec choices, a subpar camera and a far-too-high price. HTC has remedied nearly all of those issues just a couple months later with the U11. It has a more manageable size, ditched the second screen, improved battery life, overhauled the camera and lowered the price to $649.

If the U11 doesn’t sell well, it will have nothing to do with the outright quality of the phone itself.

With those issues out of the way you can appreciate what a beautiful phone the U11 is, with a design that’s truly unique to look at and solid to hold. You can also appreciate the ridiculous speed, fluidity and consistency of the software that beats everything but Google’s own phone. And if you’re a fan of the spartan approach to features and apps as I am, you’ll like what HTC is doing here. Even if the interface isn’t demonstrably changed from two years ago, at least the design is solid and you’re not saddled with tons of cruft that’s constantly in your way.

I don’t think anyone was expecting HTC to come out swinging with a flagship smartphone that can steal a large number of sales from the big names out there, particularly in North America and Western Europe. But if the U11 doesn’t sell well in 2017, it will have nothing to do with the outright quality of the phone itself. It’s a really great phone that does so much right with so few missteps along the way. HTC has just lost so much ground in market share and brand awareness that it’s fighting an uphill battle no matter what it puts out.

The U11 has everything it needs to be a challenger to the top crop of phones in the market today — now HTC just needs people to get to the point of giving its phones a chance again.

HTC U11

• HTC U11 review
• HTC U11 specs
• Manufacturing the U11: Behind the scenes
• Join our U11 forums
• HTC U11 vs Galaxy S8
• HTC U11 vs LG G6

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Best Accessories for Samsung DeX

Equip your desktop-wannabe with the right peripherals for taking it on the road with the Galaxy S8.

The Samsung DeX helps unlock the desktop experience that’s hidden deep within the code in your Galaxy S8 or S8+. If you’ve purchased one with the intention of getting work done on the road, however, you’ll want to equip it with the right stuff. Here are some suggestions on what to grab if you’re grabbing the Samsung DeX.

• Logitech MX Anywhere 2
• Arteck HB030B wireless bluetooth keyboard
• Anker SoundBuds slim wireless headphones
• Tera Grand retractable HDMI cable
• Bagsmart Electronics Travel Organizer

Logitech MX Anywhere 2

The Logitech MX Anywhere 2 wireless mouse has been my favorite since its first-generation iteration many years ago. This portable mouse works anywhere – on a desk, on glass, on high-gloss finishes, and even on your naked knee. It also offer dual wireless connectivity, so you can connect it to the DeX with the tiny Pico Unifying receiver or simply pair it via Bluetooth.

This mouse also features switches on the bottom, so you can pair up to three devices at a time, making it easy to switch between the DeX and your actual desktop computer. Best of all, it doesn’t require batteries, and you can easily charge it from any powered USB port with merely a Micro-USB cable.

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Arteck HB030B wireless bluetooth keyboard

In need of something slim and chic that won’t break the bank? This Bluetooth-connected keyboard from Arteck features thin chiclet keys and barely weighs 6 ounces. It’s compatible with both Mac and PCs, too, and it features seven different backlight colors that you can sort through depending on your mood. When the keyboard is losing steam, you can quickly charge it via the DeX with the included USB charging cable. Arteck even offers a 24-month warranty with purchase.

See at Amazon

Anker SoundBuds slim wireless headphones

Unfortunately, the Samsung DeX dock doesn’t come with its own headphone jack, so you’ll be stuck listening to music or conducting conference calls through the Galaxy S8’s built-in microphone and speakers. But you don’t have to get stuck making everyone listen to your life! Get a pair of affordable Bluetooth-connected headphones like the SoundBuds from Anker. They support Bluetooth 4.1 and they’re lightweight and thin enough to cart around in your pocket. They’re also water-resistant, if that’s your sort of thing, and they feature an in-line microphone and remote.

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Tera Grand retractable HDMI cable

Be ready to connect the Samsung DeX to any TV set or monitor you lay your eyes on. This retractable HDMI cable ensures you’ve always got 4 feet of cord on you when you need it without requiring too much room in your bag. This HDMI cable also supports resolutions up to 4K, if you’re into that sort of thing, as well as dual direction 1080p. Best of all, it’s cheap enough if you want to get a couple of them to toss into the emergency cords box somewhere in your house. (I know you’ve got one. We’ve all got one.)

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Bagsmart Electronics Travel Organizer

You don’t need to bring a bag like this on the road with you to hold your stuff, but it is a good idea if you plan to travel with the Samsung DeX. This organizer case from Bagsmart is made of durable and water-repellant nylon and features well-passed covers. There’s also two longer and one shorter velcro divider packed on the inside so that you can customize your own compartments, as well as a zipper section with a small SD card pouch.

See at Amazon

Got a suggestion of your own?

Leave it in the comments and we might include it the next time we update this page!

Apple staff Black Out Days reveal iPhone 8 launch date

An internal memo at Apple, specifically aimed at the AppleCare team, has told staff they can’t take any holiday between 17 September and 4 November, which could suggest when we’ll see the new iPhones go on sale.

• Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: What’s the story so far?

The memo was leaked by Benjamin Geskin, who has been responsible for coming up with some renders of the iPhone 8 based on other rumours and leaks. It has the lines “As you know, there are new product announcements and launches in September. In anticipation of the upcoming events and the corresponding heightened call volume expected, we will be increasing our staff across all of our programs over the summer”.”We will be imposing Black Out Days in all AppleCare programs for Advisors and Leaders. The upcoming Black Out Days will be September 17 through November 4″. It ends “absences are unacceptable”.

AppleCare Advisors & Leaders received an email.So the September the 17th seems very very likely to be keynote day. pic.twitter.com/O6zlyB4fKx

— Benjamin Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) 25 May 2017

We already expected Apple would unveil the new iPhone 7s and 7s Plus in September, as it would follow its yearly release schedule. We’re also expecting the iPhone 8 to be held aloft on stage as well. What we don’t know is when the phones will actually be available, until now.The iPhone 7s and 7s Plus should be available to buy a couple of weeks after the official announcement. 17 September is a Sunday, so either the keynote announcement will be before this date, and the phones will begin shipping from 18 September, or the event will be around the same time and the phones will be shipped out faster than usual. But there are reports to suggest the iPhone 8 will be delayed a bit due to supply issues with the OLED panels. We’ve previously heard that the iPhone 8 would be launched nearer to November, and that tallies up with this internal memo. 4 November is a Saturday, so the iPhone 8 may be available in the week preceding. The OLED-touting iPhone may only be available in limited supply when it does launch too, so you could have a serious wait on your hands if you want to snap one up. The Touch ID sensor could be one reason for the delay, if there is one at all, as it’s just been reported that it will in fact be embedded into the display. This is thanks to a new optical fingerprint sensor technology that will display the sensor as a virtual button in the bottom section of the screen.

• Apple’s OLED iPhone 8 might not be ready until November or later
• The iPhone 8 is back to having an embedded Touch ID sensor according to report

The leak of the internal memo has given us our best evidence yet when it comes to working out the iPhone’s launch date, and given the iPhone 8 is expected to cost around $1,000, we suggest you start saving now.

Bargain! Amazon Echo drops to £124, buy yours now save £25

Amazon has sneakily dropped the price of its Amazon Echo speaker by £25, meaning you can snap one up for £124.99 for a limited time.

The Amazon Echo is evolving into the centre of the smarthome, not only letting you ask questions of the Alexa personal assistant that lurks within, but play music, quiz your calendar, turn on your lights, check the fuel in your BMW and a whole lot more. 

• Click here to buy the discounted the Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo has forged a new category of device, beating the likes of Google, Microsoft and Apple into this connected space, and offering a device that’s not only convenient, but a lot of fun too, because it’s so simple to use.

• Amazon Echo review: Ace assistant, average speaker
• Amazon Echo: What can Alexa do and what services are compatible?
• Amazon Echo tips and tricks: Getting a grip on Alexa
• Amazon Echo vs Amazon Tap vs Echo Dot: What’s the difference?

If you’ve been considering Amazon Prime membership, then now is a great time to sign-up too. Not only do you get free next day delivery on lots of items, you get Prime Music and Prime Movies too, with plenty of exclusive TV shows to watch.

Amazon Prime costs £7.99 a month and you can cancel any time. There’s also a free 30-day trial if you want to give it a whirl.